It has been a number of years since I had been in a Barnes and Noble, the last time being down in…read moreOcala (since the one in Gainesville had closed down many years before). Hearing that one had opened in Gainesville again, I thought that to be interesting, but not something that I really needed to go into deliberately... no, I could wait until I was in the area and didn't really have much else planned. Well, that time has finally come, and after a visit through Best Buy two doors down (where I didn't buy anything... I was just curious what technological gadgets exist these days) I walked into Barnes and Noble. Entering, it seemed to have the same sorts of things I have grown accustomed to in these stores over the years. Newly published and best sellers at the front, then stacks going towards the back that hold various subject matter. Coffee shop to the right, which was NOT Starbucks and therefore did not make the entire store reek of burnt coffee. I started walking through the store, when I realized that the layout is not all that great. Because of the height of the stacks and the way that they are labelled, it is pretty much impossible to know where different sections of material are located without walking through the entire store to find them. Sight lines are kind of ruined, so figuring out where romance novels or the kids section is will take a bit of exploring. However, this is not the problem I had with the store. I mean, I get that... you want people to walk through the store to some extent so that they see more of the store and what you have to offer. No... My biggest problem with the store is that once I found the section I wanted, the books were in no discernible order! Every other store I have ever been in (that wasn't a second hand store where books kind of just get grouped into a section) has the books ordered alphabetically by author, but here? Nope. Science fiction and fantasy started out with the A's, quickly ramped through the alphabet, then started again. Same happened with the Y/A section and children's section. It just... doesn't make sense. Looking for a very popular author in the SciFi/Fantasy section, there were none in stock. None. An author with more than eighty titles, including recent (in the past year) releases, and nothing in stock. There are other bookstores in town, ones that are closer for me, and I do not see myself going to this store anytime soon.

i've been down on my luck as of late, i never tried to start trouble or got in anyone's face or…read morehonestly tried to be a pest, the staff at the kitchen area were always splendid, and the lass with the green hair is always friendly and the most welcoming. but the redhead guy in brown leather shoes is a the type that of over the top kind of manager and very strict if you sit on the ground near an outlet instead of in their chairs in the main "computer" area, and is unnecessarily strict if you don't look or dress "right". i don't care what his intentions were, i felt targeted.

On every driving trip back from Florida I stop at this bookstore and the other bookstore almost…read morenext door in the same strip mall. http://www.yelp.com/biz/three-dollar-book-sale-lake-park This place has new (never used) but discontinued older books. I forget if it includes used books. But they are great deals. This is a Christian / religious / spiritual / inspirational bookstore. They have Bibles and a lot more. Included are children's books and children's activity stuff that you find in bookstores. Includes some books-on-tape, books-on-cd. Most books are on big pieces of plywood supported by saw-horses, so it's kind of a warehouse deal. If you shop at one store, you get a discount coupon for the other store. It goes both ways, so don't buy everything on one stop, go next door, use your coupon there, get another coupon, and come back here to finish up. If you're a book-lover or a fan of independent bookstores, you owe it to yourself to stop and browse if you are driving by on I-75. It's just 1/2 block from the Interstate highway. The other store has secular books: fiction, non-fiction, computer, children's etc. I was last here in November 2009.

Stopped in on my way from Flordia and was never greeted or asked if I needed help. The selection as…read moreeveryone stated is mostly Christian with rows of the same title. Prices are ok some books are out dated from the 80s and not worth the discounted price so look carefully at the dates some are cheaper online. Overall nice quick stop just not friendly customer service ​

I've always passed this place for years and what caught my eye today was the one of the books I've…read morebeen eyeballing for years was included in the sidewalk sale. I went inside and was surprised on how much of a variety they have for good books besides the big box stores. Literally walls of books. I also thought it was unique how they priced their inventory (paper slip in the book). The fact that I got two books under $10 was a steal. The cashier was welcoming and was working throughout the store. I didn't get any actual pics inside but I'll definitely be back.

It is a wonderful place called Book Gallery West. Excellent choice of books, unusual gift and…read morecomfortable environment. I really liked browsing and got some splendid reads

What a beautiful independent bookstore!…read more Wonderful layout, that makes you want to browse every inch of the store! Very welcoming, and honestly my family could have spent all day just sitting and reading away! We've been to many different independent bookstores around Tampa, and the crew agrees, one of our absolutely favorite! Keep it up!

Lynx is locally owned by author Lauren Groff, a Cooperstown native who now resides in Gainesville…read moreand I hope everyone who reads this will be a regular and keep what is FINALLY a gorgeous, cozy, inviting bookstore with friendly, helpful employees in business. (There is so e seating inside, tons outside) They have serve beverages...coffee, tea, sparking waters (the cardamom black tea was amazeballs) and have some baked good. Their offerings focus on banned books, and Floriduh has lots of banned books. They also have a pretty good autobiography section as well as history and current events. Of course a large chunk is fiction with some signed editions from the owner and other authors who have been in the shop. I of course took a signed edition of a Lauren Groff title home They also have fun stickers, mugs, bags, cards, totes, and others kinds of fun reading and writing accessories for very reasonable prices. Of course they have adorable little stuffed animals....as in lynxes. While there I also noticed fliers for various book groups, author events, readings etc. I believe they also collaborate with area libraries. Recently they gave away free copies of banned books at a local parade--activism for intellectual freedom is of utmost urgency!!! I LOVE this bookstore and I'm sad it opened when I am about to move out of town. I hope the rest of Gainesville will too and make it thrive because it is a gem. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

I haven't been to the Friends of the Library book sale in a while, so going was kind of an…read moreexperience. I didn't really have a goal in mind for what I wanted, so just going through the stacks and browsing to see if anything caught my eye was the basic plan. Lots of people lined up, but I got through the line pretty quickly. Inside, the books are arranged in a reasonable order, and the different sections are easy to identify, so finding areas that interested me was not a problem. Coming across the cooking section, I found that there were a number of smaller cookbooks that I like to term as "Wive's Club Cookbooks" which can be some of the best/most entertaining cookbooks you can come across due to the nature of the recipes that are contained in them. You never know what you are going to find in them, though recipes from the 1960's are prevalent and gelatin comes into heavy play. Good stuff there, and I stocked up on them. Overall, the Friends of the Library book sale is always a good thing to go to!

They used to charge admission on the 1st day, which helped to keep the line short. I was in line…read morefor about an hour, no shade. The prices seem much higher now, and arbitrary. Even here Liberals have to assert their politics. The book 'Rigged' by Molly Hemingway was in a section labeled "Political Fiction". I had read the whole thing and it was well researched, with over 84 pages of sources. I challenge anyone to find just one false statement in it.

It's always a five-star experience at Chamblin's! A great place to explore and the selection is top…read moretier! Good value for books, helpful and friendly staff, and a quirky, good time!

Miles and miles of books in this 10,000 sf book store. They have it all, speciality items, hard to…read morefind, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, politics. They buy and sell... books and puzzles. Plan to spend some time wandering. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

This is a nice local bookstore. The selection is pretty good for how small the place is. They also…read morehave local authors' books, which is nice. It's a welcoming space and the employees are helpful. Third House also hosts a couple of events a month. Check this place out if you are downtown.

I love exploring local businesses when possible and Third House Books & Coffee is a true gem in my…read moreopinion. This small store sells fresh-brewed coffee, as well as publications from independent press companies. The selection is varied, and there's even a section of books specifically meant to read in house. The menu is small and straightforward, featuring less than ten items, all under $10. Seating is limited with about four tables, two couches and a coffee table. The store has a very cozy atmosphere and is a great place to sit and get work done if things aren't too busy. They do host events on some nights, such as readings, meetings and mic nights, all of which are posted on their Facebook page. Third House has an open hallway connecting it to Downtown Wine & Cheese next door. They are separately owned, but may have deals during events like Open Mic Night (50% off one glass of house wine). I enjoyed my time at Third House, and I hope to see the business thrive. They have my support for sure.

What an amazing find!…read more Didn't know about this place before coming in and just floored at how much stuff was here. In a nutshell - Video games, collectibles, dvds, cds, vinyl, used and new books, board games and even musical instruments. It's a great store to look around and find some things you didn't realize you wanted!

I had no idea this store even existed until now lol, but wow it's absolutely huge. They have books,…read moreFunkos, CDs, records, collectibles, kids toys, blind bags, and pretty much every 80's baby dream item you could think of. My daughter and I loved the variety and could honestly spend forever looking around. I also think it's really neat that they buy your items and resell gently used treasures, so you never know what you're going to find. It's such a fun place to shop if you're looking for a unique or special gift. There's plenty of parking, the staff always says hi when I walk in, and the whole vibe is welcoming and nostalgic. Overall highly recommended. Definitely check it out!